Civil servants are “offended” by No. 10’s insistence on returning to the office

Treasurer General Jeremy Queen highlighted the benefits and efficiency of office work at a cabinet meeting. Photo: Rashid Necati Aslim/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Civil servants have complained about the government's crackdown on working from home.

Jeremy Queen, the treasurer-general, told mandarins at a cabinet meeting that they, as are expected to return to their desks after officials raised concerns about plans to scale back remote working.

A senior minister said there were real benefits to working in an office, particularly for younger colleagues, while teams are likely to work better face to face.

He made the comments, first reported by Politico, during a «fireside chat» with Permanent Secretary Alex Chisholm at an all-staff meeting at the Queen Elizabeth II Center in Westminster on Thursday.

The Telegraph understands officials Those attending in person and connecting remotely were encouraged to submit queries, with many asking about working from home, including some complaining about the government's latest crackdown.

Mr Queen responded by emphasizing the benefits of coming into the office. arguing that it helps the government address key priorities by creating a more efficient workforce.

'We are not dogmatic about this.' A Whitehall source said: 'We are not dogmatic about this. Jeremy clearly understood the benefits of working in an office setting that could be necessary to encourage task completion and training for younger employees. This is about fairness to both taxpayers and the public service.”

It comes after a union leader said government workers are «resentful» that they are being forced back to the office.

Stephen Littlewood, national spokesman for the FDA union, said officials should not be forced to spend hours on commuting to work only to sit in virtual meetings all day.

As part of plans to end the «Tuesday to Thursday» office culture in Whitehall, Downing Street is preparing to issue new guidance to all departments requiring them to to ensure more staff return to their desks.

It will target Mandarins who regularly choose to log in remotely on Mondays and Fridays, a trend that has caused growing concern at No 10.

< p>Ministers are considering a range of options to strengthen the system, such as requiring mandarins to obtain permission to work from home.

< p>Other options include introducing a new requirement for officials to work a certain number of days in the office, which would likely be set at level of four per week.